Friday, 28 June 2013

June has been an exceptionally busy month for me! Just finished a wonderful 'Open Studios' show,with still some jewellery commissions to create ...However, I haven't forgotten you ... but, as time is of the essence ... this will have to be a short and sweet project. Something you can experiment with and make your own!A lot of you will already know this wire 'Rose' designas a ring. However, the twist here, is creating it as a connector unit which you can suspend, link together to createfancy chains, a statement necklace, decorate on to hair accessories,or make as earrings and just generally accessorize!

All you need to make this, is:Glue Stick (or similar cylindrical mandrel), 0.8mm wire/20-gauge-ish (or, whatever you have to hand!) and your usual wirework tools: round, flat, chain nosed pliers and cutters.

1. Cut about one meter of 0.8mm wire. (I just usethe length of my arm as a measure!). Wrap the centre just once around your cylindrical mandrel and twist where the wires meet.

2. Push one wire in one direction around the centre andrepeat with the second, to begin making a small, central spiral. Try and keep the wires parallel and flat so that they don't slip behind each other!

3. Once you have a small central spiral, twist theextending wires together - randomly - don't worryat all about neatness, leaving about 6cms untwistedat the very ends.

4. Continue wrapping the twisted wires around therest of the central spiral, keeping it flat against themandrel to increase the diameter of the spiral.Stop twisting when you are left with about 3cm-4cmon wire and bring the other wire around onto theopposite side.

5. Pull the unit off the mandrel and wrap the extendedwires around each side of the back loop. Cut off anyexcess and neaten the ends.

6. Using your wirecutter, CUT THROUGH THE CENTREOF THE BACK LOOP and straighten the wires out on each side.

7. Using your round nosed pliers, create links with the extending wires on each side of the unit.

And there you have it! It's ready to suspended froma cord, or chain and you can suspend anything fromthe base link as well!

If you wish to add a bead to the centre, this can be donein STEP 1.

Alternatively, use some shocking pink wire and gentlyrub down the outer surface with some sandpaper or wire wool to create a two tone feel! Here I added alittle Fimo rosebud bead, that I just happen to have sitting in my stash!

You can also create this design using two different coloured wires. Put them together and work with both lengths in unison.

This central 'rose' was created in silver plated wire andcoloured with a red permanent marker pen. The redcentral bead was then added to the centre and the leaveswere woven with green and silver 0.5mm wires.

Or ... try making some elegant earrings and anecklace set, using this idea!

But here's my favourite idea! Creating the units as chain links! Here's a funnecklace using different coloured wires!

I should mention, that if you wish to make a matching ring - don'tforget to wrap the wire TWICE around the ring stick or cylindricalmandrel, so that you create a more functional shank.

HAVE FUN EXPERIMENTING - think how many other wire ring designscould be adapted like this!!!! - and don't forget to share your trials and tribulations on my FACEBOOK page!HAPPYWIREWORKING!

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

I hope you're sitting comfortably? If not - get yourself a cushion and a hot beverage, or a tall, coooool drink and feast your eyes on the beautiful and eclectic contributionsof wirework artists from various parts of the globe, all united in the LOVE of wirework for:

In no particular order, my I introduce a wire jeweller,cake maker and all round creative lady from Kent, inthe U.K. ...CAROLE DADSWELL

Colourful Cake Decoration or Table Centre piece by Carole

'Spring Green' Bracelet

Red and Silver Lapel Pin Brooch by Carole.

Next in the showcase, (and all the way from Canada) is:

CHRISTINE GAINARD

Wire butterfly, created by Christine Gainard. She began beading7 years ago and 2 years later bought one of my wirework books... which is when her wire journey began! She says that makingjewelry is a stress reliever but most important, it's the opportunityto do something special for the people she most cares for in her life.The next artist in this showcase is:

DOTTIE LOGAN

... keep feasting your eyes ...

Dottie Logan not only creates beautiful wirework jewellery butalso works in metal clay using semi-precious stones andquality glasswork. She says that her aim is to "capture ideasand translate them into jewellery designs." She has been featuredin 'So Sensational' an online publication, Magnatuitum and hasadvertised in Vogue!

Gosia, says that she make her jewellery in response to her passionand interest in craft and tradition. She likes combining the beautyof tradition with contemporary and culture. Her favourite materialto work with is silver wire.

She also likes experimenting and connecting silver to othermaterials such as felt - to add a softer touch, or perspex, toadd a little colour ... as well as beads and stones. You cankeep in touch with Gosia's latest creations through herFACEBOOK page.Next in the Gallery is:

JAANA MORSKY

Jaana is from Helsinki in Finland. She started wirewrappingalmost 3 years ago and kindly says that one of my bookswas her initial inspiration! She especially loves workingwith wire and gemstones and has a jewellery BLOGand a FACEBOOK page.

Now, pinch your nose and duck down! We're travelling 'down under' ... all the way to Australia to showcase the work of:

JANICE McCORMACK

Janice has been dabbling with jewellery making for a while and guesswhat? It was after finding a wirework book by 'Moi' in her local Brisbanelibrary that her pilot light was truly ignited!

Janice, also travelled back to the UK to see family for her 40th birthday and came for a one-to-one workshop at my studios and since then, she says that she spends most evenings fiddling with wire!

Janice sells her jewels at a monthly market and also has a business FACEBOOK page.From Australia, we're re-surfacing and moving to France to see the work of:

JILL fromVIVANT-JEWELLERY.COM

Jill made this necklace for her friend's daughter's 13thbirthday. Her name is Lucy - hence the reason for the'L' at the bottom.

Jill is relatively new to wireworking, she came to it after a complete change oflifestyle and career. A move to France from the UK with her partner has givenher the opportunity to unleash her creative side ... and as you can see - she'sloving it!

She has done a couple of workshops with me and the rest she has learntfrom the internet as well as books and magazines. She has a stall at the local market and also is exhibiting at a local arts festival. You can see moreof her work on her WEBSITE .

Travelling back over the water to the U.K. in Northumberland, is the work of artist:

LORAINE LAWSON

Loraine has her own small local craft shop in the village. She makestiaras, fascinators and many other handcrafted accessories.

Loraine says she is still very much a novice at discovering the versatily ofworking with wire and beads, but she loves the freedom you can get frommanipulating and generally 'playing' with wire! She says she never quiteknows what she is going to make when she gets her tools out ... and sometimes it can be a complete tangled mess, but on the occasion ... it's goodenough to be able to sell in her shop!

Now, moving from one Lorraine to another ... here'swarmly welcoming:

LORRAINE TEMPLE

Lorraine says that this 'Heart' pendant is her first attempt atcreating and designing from scratch - a personal and unique piece,rather than following a project book tutorial. Her Gran passedaway many years ago, but her aunt bought her Gran's house and kept quite a few of the original fixtures and furnishings and when she went over to visit this Easter, she was drawn to a pattern on one of the curtains. This pattern evoked strong memories of her childhood with her grandmother, so she sketched the rough outline and wenthome and created this unique design based roughly, but inspired by, the original pattern on the curtains and the memories that this triggered!Now, strap yourself in for a long haul flight, to see the happy sun-soaked wirework of:

MARIELA SISON

Mariela is from Manila in the Philippines. She is a full time Mum of 4 and comesfrom a very creative and craft loving family. She's been making jewellery for about 5 years and now has started to run her own local wire and beaded workshops!

Her husband, Jonvic, also loves to craft (and often helps drill holes into thebeads and recommends how to patina certain metals, etc...)

As you can see, Mariela, is a colourist and loves making pieces with a theme -such as butterflies, dragonflies, trees, religious/saints, etc... and lately she's beeninto making recycled jewellery or rather, up-cycling - designing pieces with herown handmade paper beads.

Mariela helps out at her parish church's social service ministry, tutoringthe creation of rosaries and similar religious trinkets out of paper beads using oldmagazines. These eco-friendly rosaries are not just a tool for prayer, but alsogive a little additional income to the makers (from depressed areas). In this way,she feels that her crafting skills are put to good use and for a higher purpose!As she herself says: "Indeed, there is much satisfaction and joy in makingjewelry that can help others."From a Mariela to Maryellen ... introducing the handcrafted wirework of:

MARYELLEN TANIS

Maryellen has contributed a picture of one of the first pieces she ever made outof Sterling Silver, her 'Tree of Life' pendant and earrings. This was commissionedfor a friend's daughter's birthday.

She only started making jewelry last summer (August 2012) as a means to keepher evenings busy. She works full time as a secretary at a local university and herhusband works nights, so she is a alone a lot and found that making jewelry has filled a creative void - like most of us, she has become addicted! Her kids call her'the crazy bead lady'! She recently tore ligaments in her wrist, so sadly has been out of commission for a few months, however, the Tree of Life pendant is some ofthe first pieces she's made since her injury ... having spent hours watching tutorialson the internet, filling herself with renewed inspiration ... whilst her wrist recovered!Follow me to a new showcase to the see the work of:

PATT KOVACH

Patt hails from Saluda NC and as well as being a jewellery desginer, is also a mixed media artist using acrylics.

Patt, says that she loves wire wrapping and just wishes she had more time to do it!

This next showcase is by an artist that I have personally seen evolve and blossom into the talent she is today ... as she was one of the very first pupils that I ever taught, when I started my own wirework teaching journey!So, I take great pleasure in introducing:SALLY PITMAN aka - SKYPIXIE DESIGN

Sally has been designing and creating wire jewellery for about 10 years and now has her own little workshop locally, in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, U.K.

She thinks of her designs and creations as being akin to 'dancing with wire' andat times it is a very harmonious waltz!

Sally sells her pieces through local markets and craft fairs and undertakes bespokecommissions. No two pieces are ever the same and each is created as uniqueas its eventual owner! You can see more of her work on her WEBSITE. Moving to a new showcase we can discover the work of:

SANDY DILIP

Sandy runs her own shop on ETSYYou'll find pieces there which mostly include wire and gemstones.

Sandy says that she loves exploring new concepts and combining design inspirationfrom fashion, art and her travel experiences around Asia.From Sandy to ... (drum roll) ...

SHALINI AUSTIN

Shalini likes using semi-precious gemstones, beads and pearls in her jewellerydesigns. Her favourite medium is copper wire.

Shalini loves playing with different types of wire and letting it take its course,as she wraps around a stone of a bead.

Above, is Shalini's Dolphin shape wire pendant! She and her husband,Dave also create Wire Sculpture Trees and cut and polish some ofthe gemstones used in her jewellery designs.Nearing the end of the Gallery, we can find the uniquejewellery designs of:

GILLY @ SILVERLEAF

Gilly has decided to showcase her recent Viking Knit designs for this gallery.

This bangle almost feels like it would provide you with renewed positive energy!

You can discover more about Silverleaf's work on her WEBSITE .Now, nearing the end of the Gallery, but by no means least, is the work of a past WWGuild feature artist:

SUE MASON-BURNS

Sue is a regular contributor to 'Making Jewellery' and Beads and Beyond Magazines.

Sue is originally from New Zealand, but is now based in Birmingham in the U.K.where she loves creating her own unique ranges of wirejewellery from her homestudio.

You can find more of her original creations on her WEBSITE and on herFACEBOOK page.

And now, as a finale to our 2013 Summer Exhibition, we have a stunning contribution from the very talented and highly rated:

RACHEL NORRIS

You can bathe in Rachel's stunning work on her WEBSITE and keep in touch with her tutorials on her FACEBOOK page.